introduction - plumpton school€¦ · web viewnov 2015 6 minor changes to terminology & date...

PLUMPTON SCHOOL

OVERARCHING SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

This Statement will be reviewed as and when required.

Copyright © 2012 KAHSC

Version No: 7Last Review Date: Feb 2017

REVIEW SHEETThe information in the table below details earlier versions of this document with a brief description of each review and how to distinguish amendments made since the previous version date (if any). Schools should devise their own version history to reflect the document status in the school.

Version Number Version Description Date of Revision

1 Original Nov 2011

2 Amended to include details of how to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service Dec 2012

3Amended to include changes to statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education April 2015 and Working Together to Safeguard Children March 2015

April 2015

4Amended to include updated guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education July 2015 and new requirement for PREVENT Awareness Training

August 2015

5 Minor changes in title of Cumbria LSCB to Cumbria SCB Nov 2015

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Minor changes to terminology & date of DfE Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Statutory Guidance from 2014 to Dec 2015. Removal of ‘referral to DBS’ guidance as duplicated in CP Policy.

Feb 2016

7 Updated as a result of publication of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ – September 2016 August 2016

Copyright © 2012 KAHSC


IntroductionThis Safeguarding Statement has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 and related guidance. This includes the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, September 2016; the DfE revised Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage (2014) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015). The school will also refer to, and follow, the guidance and procedures developed by the Cumbria Safeguarding Children’s Board (SCB).

Because of our close day to day contact with children, education staff have a crucial role to play in helping to promote safety, reduce risks and to identify welfare concerns and indicators of possible abuse and neglect at an early stage.

The Governing Body and staff of Plumpton School (hereinafter referred to as ‘the school’) take seriously our responsibility under Section 175 Education Act 2002 (Section 157 for independent schools) to safeguard and promote the welfare of our pupils, to minimise risk and to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements are in place within our school to identify, assess, and support those children who are suffering harm and to keep them safe and secure whilst in our care.

Our statement and supporting Policies and Procedures relate to all members of the school community including pupils, staff, governors, visitors/contractors, volunteers and trainees working within the school. It is fully incorporated into the whole school ethos and is underpinned throughout the teaching of the curriculum, within PHSE and within the safety of the physical environment provided for the pupils.

Definition of Safeguarding‘Working together to Safeguard Children’ defines the term Safeguarding as “protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes”.

Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It relates to aspects of school life including pupils’ health, safety and wellbeing; managing behaviour and the use of reasonable force; meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions; providing first aid; educational visits; intimate care and emotional wellbeing; online safety and associated issues; and appropriate arrangements to ensure school security, taking into account the local context.

It includes issues for schools such as bullying, including cyberbullying (by text message, on social networking sites, and so on) and prejudice-based bullying; racist, disability, and homophobic or transphobic abuse; radicalisation and/or extremist behaviour; children missing education; child sexual exploitation; sexting; teenage relationship abuse; substance misuse; issues that may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity and youth violence; and particular issues affecting children including domestic violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, fabricated or induced illness and poor parenting, particularly in relation to young children. (Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Years, Education and Skills – August 2016).

This Safeguarding Statement should therefore be read and understood alongside other school Policies and procedures which fall under the safeguarding ‘umbrella’ as listed at the end of this document. Related Policies and procedures can be found on the school’s website, hard copies are available from the school office. Many are also available to access via the school website or on request.

All relevant Policies and supporting procedures will be reviewed in accordance with the latest DfE Guidance by the Governing Body (or the persons nominated by them to approve such documents) which has responsibility for oversight of school safeguarding and child protection systems. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will ensure regular reporting on safeguarding activity and systems in school to the Governing Body. The Governing Body will not receive details of individual pupil situations or identifying features of families as part of their oversight responsibility. There is also a nominated Governor who will take leadership responsibility for the setting’s safeguarding arrangements.

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Our school is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, volunteers, parents, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We welcome suggestions and comments from all these stakeholders contributing to this process.

EthosThe School recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

The School will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:

• maintaining children’s overall wellbeing as our paramount concern;• ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning;• developing and implementing procedures for tackling bullying; racist abuse; harassment and

discrimination and ensuring these are included in the curriculum;• ensuring that all aspects of child protection are included in the curriculum to help children stay safe,

recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might/can talk to;• providing suitable support and guidance so that pupils have a range of appropriate adults to approach

if they are in difficulty;• promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of

being valued and heard in their own right and where opposing issues and ideologies can be discussed in a controlled manner;

• working with parents and carers to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations;

• ensuring all staff (and, where appropriate, other adults) are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse through ongoing training and support and are aware of the school’s procedures for reporting concerns, lines of communication and whistle blowing procedures;

• promoting their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, within this, the concept and inclusion of fundamental British values;

• ensuring that staff and other adults are aware of the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead;• provision of training for staff/governors which will be updated regularly and inclusion of child

protection issues in the induction of new staff and other adults/governors;• ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff, governors and other adults

including volunteers to work with children;• monitoring children who have been identified as having welfare or protection concerns, particularly

those who are identified as ‘carers’ and those looked after by the Local Authority; keeping confidential records which are stored securely and shared appropriately with other professionals;

• ensuring we have adequate and appropriate procedures in place for responding to children missing education whether as a one off occasion or persistent absenteeism;

• having arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) having regard to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice and have identified a member of staff to act as Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO);

• developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies;• implementation of documented safeguarding and health and safety Policies and procedures including

the organisation and arrangements for maintaining the health, safety and welfare of all those involved with the school, including pupils, which include:

- assessing risks to children and developing and implementing effective controls to prevent accidents or incidents;

- ensuring there is sufficient first aid provision in the form of equipment and appropriately trained staff both in school, extended school sessions and on educational visits;

- ensuring that procedures in line with OEAP National Guidance http://oeapng.info/ are followed and implemented in relation to learning outside the classroom/educational visits including the need for adequate planning, supervision and risk assessment;

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http://oeapng.info/


- ensuring a clear Policy and procedures on supporting pupils with medical conditions is implemented to meet the needs of pupils with short or long-term medical needs and medication is only administered in accordance with school Policy and procedures and the DfE Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Statutory Guidance (2015);

- ensuring staff and other adults are familiar with the protocols for intimate care and maintaining dignity in line with school procedures;

- ensuring staff, pupils and parents are familiar with the Whole School Behaviour Policy which includes the use of discipline, sanctions and rewards and which also focuses on preventing and reacting to cases of bullying and cyberbullying both during and outside the school day;

- ensuring staff are aware of the definition of reasonable force and when this can be used and that sufficient staff have been trained in de-escalation and positive handling techniques;

- ensuring accidents are recorded, reported and investigated where necessary to prevent similar incidents from occurring;

- IN RELATION TO EYFS PUPILS ensuring there is at least one person who has a paediatric first aid certificate on the premises

and available when children are present and must accompany children on outings (we will choose training providers with a nationally approved and accredited first aid qualification or one that is a member of a trade body with an approval and monitoring scheme and training will cover the course content as for St John Ambulance or Red Cross paediatric first aid training and be renewed every three years);

keeping a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment and informing parents and/or carers of any accident or injury sustained by the child on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable, of any first aid treatment given;

notifying local child protection agencies of any serious accident or injury to, or the death of, any child whilst in our care, and must act on any advice provided by those agencies;

- inspection and maintenance of the grounds including trees and physical site security measures to safeguard pupils, staff and any other users of premises;

- inspection and maintenance of equipment, machinery and services in line with current legislation and manufacturer’s instructions by competent persons with records held in the School Buildings Register;

- ensuring staff, and where relevant, other adults receive adequate induction and regular training and instruction in subjects which maintain the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others (including children) such as safeguarding and child protection; first aid, manual handling, lifting and handling, positive handling, food hygiene, use of machinery, safe use of hazardous substances, physical education, educational visits, fire safety, risk assessments etc.

- children receive regular instruction in fire safety and participate in regular fire drills/practices;- ensuring hazardous substances including asbestos containing materials, radon and water hygiene

(legionella) risks are managed in line with relevant legislation;- ensuring meals, snacks and drinks provided to children are healthy, balanced and nutritious and

ensuring fresh drinking water is accessible at all times;- obtaining information before a child starts school about any special dietary requirements, food

allergies and special health requirements, and ensuring all relevant personnel are aware of these;- ensuring there are suitable facilities for the hygienic preparation of food and ensuring that those

responsible for preparing and handling food are competent to do so;- securely maintaining pupil data, including digital images in line with the Data Protection Act and

school procedures;- ensuring appropriate e-safety protocols are in place including Acceptable Use Agreements for

pupils, staff and Governors;- including online, internet and communication safety in the curriculum in line with school Policy and

procedures to enable children to access technology safely;

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- ensuring that the use of mobile technologies (including phones and cameras) by pupils, staff and others is managed effectively in line with school Policy and procedures are in place to prevent and manage instances of cyberbullying both during and outside the school day;

- ensuring children are adequately supervised during the school day, extended schools and on off site visits including break times and before and after school;

- ensuring there adequate pedestrian-vehicle separation on school grounds;- ensuring only local transport where seat belts are fitted is hired and ensuring children wear the

seatbelts;- ensuring booster seats/cushions are used in private vehicles for pupils under 12 years and 4ft 5in;- ensuring vehicles in which children are being transported, and the driver of those vehicles, are

adequately insured;- ensuring we only release children into the care of individuals who have been notified to us by the

parent, and will ensure that children do not leave the premises unsupervised; - ensuring we take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises and

appropriately challenge those we do not recognise;- ensuring the dangers of the sun form part of the PSHE/science curriculum; parents are informed of

school sun safety procedures and staff are proactive in sun safety measures.

Partnerships with othersSchools do not operate in isolation. The welfare of children is the corporate responsibility of the entire Local Authority, working in partnership with other public agencies, the voluntary sector and service users and carers. All Local Authority services have an impact on the lives of children and families, and Local Authorities have a particular responsibility towards children and families most at risk of social exclusion.

The school recognises that it is essential to establish positive and effective working relationships with other agencies. Professionals can only work together to safeguard children if there is an exchange of relevant information between them. The School follows LA inter-agency safeguarding procedures (as endorsed by the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Board) will work within the Cumbia SCB Multi-agency Thresholds Guidance and has links with the Local Authority, the School Health Service, the local Police, Children’s Centre’s and the Education Social Care Service.

We recognise the importance of information sharing between professionals and local agencies and take account of guidance issued in ‘Working together to safeguard children’ and ‘Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers’ and the Cumbria SCB ‘Information Sharing Protocol’.

Where it is believed that a child is suffering from, or is at risk of, significant harm, we will follow the referral procedures as outlined on the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Board website and within the School Child Protection Policy and procedures. In other cases where the child or family would benefit from early intervention, we will put in place appropriate ‘early help’ strategies working with other agencies as appropriate and where necessary.

Training and SupportOur school will ensure that the Designated Safeguarding Lead (and deputy DSL) attend suitable child protection training which is updated every 2 years; all staff including the Head teacher, the designated teacher (children looked after), the designated governor/the governing body receive safeguarding and child protection training at induction relevant to their roles which is updated regularly. In addition, all staff members will receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins, staff meetings) as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. All other staff who work in the school and/or with children will undertake appropriate child protection awareness training to equip them to meet their responsibilities for child protection effectively.

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The Designated Safeguarding Lead has attended/undertaken Prevent Awareness Training to enable them to provide advice and support to other members of staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalisation and extremism. Other staff to receive this training will be determined through risk assessment.

There is a designated Health and Safety Coordinator in school who has received appropriate training in relation to their role e.g. IOSH Managing Safely in Schools training or similar.

Although this is now no longer a legal requirement, in accordance with good practice guidelines, there is also a designated Educational Visits Coordinator who has received training and refresher training in planning and managing off-site visits.

There is a staff training plan in place to ensure all relevant staff receive appropriate training as per legislative requirements and good practice to protect both themselves and children. Designated staff training will include for example health and safety induction, first aid, supporting pupils with medical needs including general awareness training, training in the administration of medication and any training regarding complex medical needs of children (from a medical professional as necessary); asbestos management, fire safety, positive handling, moving and handling, minibus drivers, risk assessment, food hygiene, safe use of machinery and other training commensurate with the roles and responsibilities of staff.

Professional ConfidentialityOur school has a clear confidentiality statement that forms part of the School Child Protection Policy and procedures which is reviewed annually by the full Governing body, is discussed with all staff and shared with all working adults within the school.

Safe Recruitment and SelectionThe school pays full regard to the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2016). The Governing Body/Proprietor will deter and prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children by adhering to statutory responsibilities to carry out appropriate checks on staff or others who work (paid or unpaid) unsupervised with children, taking proportionate decisions on whether to ask for any checks beyond what is required and ensuring those without full checks are appropriately supervised. The School has a written Recruitment, Selection and Pre-Employment Vetting Policy and procedures in place. In line with the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 the Governing Body ensure that at least one person on any appointment panel has attended safer recruitment training.

Further details can be found in the School Child Protection Policy and procedures and the School Recruitment, Selection and Pre-Employment Vetting Policy and procedures.

Related School Policies(to be read and followed alongside this document)

• Child Protection Policy• Health and Safety Policy• Online Safety Policy• Whole School Behaviour Policy including procedures for preventing and dealing with bullying and

discrimination, unacceptable behaviour, drug misuse etc.• Sex Education Policy• Recruitment, Selection and Pre-Employment Vetting Policy and procedures including the Single Central

Record (restricted access)• Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy and procedures• Code of Conduct for staff and others who work with children• Single Equality Scheme/Equality Objectives• Data Protection Policy• Accessibility Plan• SEND Policy/Information report• Guidance on the Use of Photographic Images

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• Safeguarding , Health and Safety Induction procedures• Positive Handling procedures• Missing Child procedures• Intimate Care procedures• Educational Visits procedures• First Aid and Accident Recording and Reporting procedures• Risk Assessments (incl. Fire Safety)• Premises Management including security measures (formal Inspections and Buildings

Register/Maintenance records)• Lettings Arrangements• Safeguarding Children - Induction Leaflet for Visitors and Contractors

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introduction - plumpton school€¦ · web viewnov 2015 6 minor changes to terminology & date...

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